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Puente News Collaborative

EIN 87-3203011 · El Paso, TX

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthNot ratedToo small or too little detailGovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Provide support and resources for local journalism in far West Texas, southern New Mexico and northern Chihuahua, Mexico (collectively, the "Borderplex Region").

Income
$250,010
Spending
$25,028
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
107.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
0
Highest pay
$464,768, director/pres.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    0 of 3 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $20,953 spent. In order to address the alarming decline of news outlets along the U.S.-Mexico Border, under the fiscal sponsorship of the El Paso Community Foundation, the Puente News Collaborative is a network of newsrooms and journalists working as trusted sources for stories, reports, and commentary. This innovative effort provides high-quality, fact-based news and information on both sides of the El Paso-Ciudad Jurez border. Puente News Collaborative is dedicated to strengthening local news along the U.S.-Mexico border. In 2025:Seven students from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York (CUNY) participated in a five-day reporting trip to El Paso. Students met with elected officials, business leaders, immigration and health non-profit leaders, and others. The visit resulted in 10 published stories, including: For borderland cattle ranchers, a trade war with Mexico adds to the list of troubles published by several news outlets. Puente News Collaborative hosted a presentation for 70 attendees titled Bridging Local News Gap, Borderland News and Information Ecosystem. In addition, recognized journalist Steve Padilla provided a writing workshop to more than 30 individuals. A 12-member Puente News Collaborative advisory board was established. The advisory board is comprised of a dozen reporters, editors, and members from the academic field (the dean of the CUNY journalism school) to national journalism organizations (ProPublica, NPR); some hail from the border and Texas, while others care deeply about journalism and maintaining its viability. With more than 25 media partners, Puente News Collaborative published 30 stories.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 2022.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.